The filmmaker Ajay Govind’s Basanti Tailors is set to Haluvalo in Dehradun, on the Himalayan foothills. A poorly designed tailor shop, located in a sparsely populated area, is where the bassants “spin her magic” on sewing machines. Her granddaughter, geetics or ginny, as she is kindly called, is her only companion in an almost unusual life.
Basanti’s reputation is based on her unique ability to restore clothing considered out of repair, which will constantly surprise their owners of transformations of destroyed fabrics to bedspreads and curtains. This skill and contrasting attitudes between urban and rural communities to recycling are driven by Basanti Krejčí, a Hindi short film that emphasizes how recycling shapes everyday life. The film to be screened at the Chicago Southasian Film Festival 2025 is produced by Drishyam Films and Azim Foundation.
The 17 -minute film, which plays Sohaila Kapur, Radha Bhatt and Alain, opens with Anupama (Radha Bhatt) and her son Aryavir visiting Basnti Krejčí to throw away some clothes and discuss recycling. While Basanati is amazed by the requirements of Anupama, such as the recycling of the bed leaves into the bedspread, Ginny will cross a t -shirt from a pile of clothing to be recycled.
Behind the scenes Basanti Tailors | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The short film, which premiered at the International Film Festival in Bengalur in 2025, focuses on the concept of old and new, because the Basanti will find a way to make a decision without hurting her granddaughter.
“Recycling has always existed, whether it is a T -shirt or a piece of fabric that becomes a shred fabric used on the busy tables,” says Ajay, who has directed several documents, short films, music videos and feature films during his 20 -year -old career.
Ajay Govind, director of Basanti Krejčí | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Ajay, originally from Kozhikode, says: “The story is inspired by a tailor, Basantii living on the outskirts of Dehradun. One day we decided to recycle several clothes into curtains and other things.
She adds, “One day I gave her a shirt that happened in my bag. When I went there, I noticed that the shirt was still there, and she gave me a bag made of another fabric. She told me the material was not suitable for sewing.
The filmmaker adds: “The film is a criticism of the motif of the urban population for recycling. It has become a market initiative that has led people to overlook. For someone like the bass, which comes from a different social class, is recycling everyday reality.”
Acana Joshi wrote dialogues in a local dialect and also worked as a dialect coach for Sohail, a well -known television and film actor. “At first we were not sure that Basanti was playing. She played urban characters, and that’s her background. As soon as we watched her auditions, it was an apparent choice,” Ajay says.
In Ajay, he expresses contrasting perspectives of empathy. “In one of the scenes of Anupama, he will have his dili friends to bring their clothes to Basanti. But the reality is that an old woman like her does not want to develop her business and this kind of business would be a burden for her.
The creator adds: “We wanted Anupama to meet as an empathetic person, but sometimes you need enough information to be empathetic.”
Later this year, Basanti Tailors will also be screened at the Taob International Film Festival in Tbilisi, Georgia and at the International Film Festival in South Asia Toronto, Cananda. At the beginning of August, the film was screened at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival in Kerala.
Published – 11 September 2025 05:10 IS IS
